Ara Eresian Sr.
Shrewsbury - Ara Eresian Sr., died Monday, Oct. 15, 2007 at UMass Memorial Hospital, in Worcester after he was stricken ill at home.

He leaves his beloved wife of 57 years, Evelyn (Demurjian) Eresian; his son, Ara Eresian Jr.; his daughters, Melanie Cara Eresian and Eva Marie Eresian; and his brother-in-law, Aharon Aharonian, and his wife, Marion.

Born in Somerville, he was the son of Hagop Eresian and Tensif (Mooradian) Eresian. His family came from Harpoot, Armenia and he was part of the family's first generation born in America. He graduated from Somerville High School and attended Franklin Institute and Clemson College. He was a World War II veteran, attaining the rank of staff sergeant and aerial gunner for the 330th bomb squad, which flew many missions in the Pacific theater of the war, and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Mr. Eresian entered the field of plumbing and heating after college, and thereafter owned and operated A & S Plumbing & Heating Supplies, Inc. of Worcester, a wholesale plumbing and heating supply company, for approximately 20 years. After retiring, he helped manage The Office Lounge Inc. of Worcester, a business owned by his son.

At 18, he was the youngest junior trustee, and later, a subdeacon of the Armenian Church of Our Saviour. Over the years, he was very active and involved in church affairs and was instrumental in the construction of the church cultural center. He was a former member of the Knights of Vartan, and a former member and chair of the South Worcester Kiwanis Club.

In later years, Mr. Eresian a weekly news program on the Audio Journal radio network and was appointed a board member. For 15 of the last 17 years, he was the host of "The Forum with Ara Eresian Sr.," a bi-weekly television news program aired through Shrewsbury Media Connection and Charter Communications across Central Massachusetts. He interviewed many local and national politicians and pundits and loved every minute of it. He will be greatly missed.

Private funeral services were held Oct. 19 at the Armenia Church of Our Saviour, with burial at Mountain View Cemetery. The Nordgren Memorial Chapel of Worcester directed arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the Armenian Church of Our Saviour, 87 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609 or to the Audio Journal, 799 West Boylston St., Worcester, MA 01606.